Arcuate wrench-shank slidably engaged by chordal extensionhandle



Dec. 6, 1955 ANACKER 2,725,773

ARCUATE WRENCH-SHANK SLIDABLY ENGAGED BY CHORDAL EXTENSION-HANDLE Filed Sept. 27, 1954 INVENTOR. KC-A/NETH A. ANAC'Kf/F BY W. Wf

United States Patent ARCUATE WRENCH-SHANK SLIDABLY ENGAGED BY CHORDAL EXTENSION- HANDLE Kenneth L. Anacker, Kirkland, Wash., assignor to Boeing Airplane Company, Seattle, Wash., a corporation of Delaware Application September 27, 1954, Serial No. 458,620 6 Claims. (Cl. 81-177) There are numerous places in crowded structures, such as an airplane, where it is necessary to turn a bolt head or nut, but where nearby structure obstructs the swinging of the wrench handle through a sufiicient angular extent to turn the nut sufliciently. A hexagon headed nut, for example, will require that the wrench have at least 30 of swing, and while often this amount of swing can be attained in theory, in practice, structure which interferes with the wrench handle, as normally applied, will so restrict the swing of the wrench that it can not attain the full minimum 30 of swing, and so the nut can not be tightened.

The present invention is aimed at providing atwo-part wrench for use in such places as has been indicated, by which the angle of the end of the handle is variable with respect to the nut-engaging faces of the wrenchs socket in such a way that, although the outer or swinging end of the handle may not, in any one position of adjustment, accomplish a minimum of 30 of rotation, by adjusting the outer end of the handle relative to the inner end which carries the nut socket, a full 30 or more of swing is possible. This will enable the wrench, by repeated reengagement with the nut, to accomplish with each engagement the minimum 30 of swing which is necessary, and so, although the operation may not be accomplished rapidly, it can be accomplished, notwithstanding the obstruction of nearby structure.

The above and further objects will be more fully understood as this specification progresses.

In the accompanying drawings the wrench is shown embodied in certain typical forms, each embodying the principles of the invention.

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the wrench with its parts in operative position.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the wrench, showing the manner in which the same is able to function within a restricted space which would prohibit the use of an ordinary wrench.

Figure 3 is an isometric view of a slightly modified wrench element.

In the typical form shown in Figures 1 and 2 the wrench comprises a head 1 having a nut-engaging socket 2, which is shown of hexagonal shape. It will be understood that the principles of the invention are not dependent upon the use of a socket of any particular shape, and any common shape of socket may be employed, yet the invention would ordinarily be employed for turning hexagonheaded nuts or bolts. The socketed head 1 is formed as part of an arcuate guide or bar 9, which extends away from the socketed head 1, and the curvature of which may be such as conditions may require. In other words, no particular degree of curvature or of angular extent or length is essential, and these factors may vary in difierent situations. Its center, however, is not coincidental with, but rather distant from, the nut-engaging head 1.

Operatively engaged with the arcuate guide 9 is a gripping head, generally designated by the numeral 3,

which conveniently consists of two plates 4 and 5 spaced apart by approximately the thickness of the arcuate guide 9, and connected by three pins 6, which are arranged in triangular fashion, generally in the form of an equilateral triangle. A handle 7 is preferably formed integral with one of the plates 4 or 5, being shown in Figures 1 and 2 as part of the plate 4.

The triangle formed by the pins 6 is of a height equal to the width of the arcuate guide 9, so that two of the pins 6 may engage the convex edge of the guide while the third pin 6 engages the concave edge thereof. Thereby the gripping head 3 may be engaged with the arcuate guide 9 to slide therealong, but not appreciably to rock with relation to the guide. Sliding thus, a line through the apex of the triangle defined by the pins, and bisecting its base, is directed always generally radially of the arcuate guide 9.

The handle 7 is secured with relation to the gripping head 3 in such manner that it is directed generally chordally of the arcuate guide 9, not diametrally thereof, nor yet tangentially, but at some intermediate angle. As the gripping head 3 slides along the arcuate guide 9 the handle 7 maintains its chordal disposition but varies its angularity with respect to the nut-engaging surfaces of the socket 2.

An example will make this clearer. In Figure 2, for example, a nut 10 is to be secured upon a bolt 11 supported in structural member 12 which is behind two other structural elements 13 and 14. Whereas the elements 13 and 14 may be spaced apart sufiiciently to allow a 30 swing of a wrench engaged with the nut 10, nevertheless, a further structural member 15 would so obstruct the handle of a normal wrench that the 30 swing could not be achieved. Accordingly, the socket 2 of the present wrench is engaged with the nut 10; with the gripping head 3 engaged with the arcuate guide 9, and located close to the socketed nut-engaging head 1, the handle 7, as shown in full lines in Figure 2, is sufficiently clear of the obstructions 14 and 15 that by swinging it in the direction of the arrow, a limited angular movement of the arcuate guide 9 and of the socket 2 can be accomplished. Shortly, however, the handle will engage the obstruction 14 and can swing no farther. Now, if the gripping head 3 is slid outwardly along the arcuate guide 9, into the dot-dash position of the handle, the geometry of the wrench is sufiiciently changed that the arcuate guide 9 can be swung further in the same angular sense until parts reach the dot-dash position, by which time 30 or more of rotation of the socket 2 has been accomplished. It will now be necessary to disengage the socket 2 and to reengage it with the nut 10 in a position similar to the full line position, but again 30 of rotation of the nut can be accomplished, and so eventually the nut can be completely tightened.

As shown in Figure 3 the wrench may be formed with a gripping head 3' which has no integral handle 7, but which is socketed at 8 for reception of the squared end of a plug wrench 16 shown in dash lines. Obviously, it would be a mere reversal to provide a squared post on the plate 5 and to engage the same within the socket of a wrench. The principle in all cases is to enable sliding of the gripping head 3 or 3 along the arcuate guide 9, and to' maintain the handle which is engaged with the gripping head 3 or 3 always chordally disposed with relation to the arc of the guide 9.

I claim as my invention:

1. A wrench comprising a nut-engaging head formed for engagement with a nut or the like, an arcuate guide projecting from and curved about a center distant from said nut-engaging head, a handle, and a gripping head carried by one end of the handle for guiding engagement with and movement along said arcuate guide, said gripping head being arranged to maintain the handle, in all adjusted positions, disposed chordally of the arcuate guide.

2. A wrench as in claim 1, wherein the gripping head is,formed with three pins, arranged substantially at the a ices of an equilateral triangle, the height whereof is canal to the width of the arcuate guide, and the pins engaging the opposite edges of said guide for guiding the gripping head and the associated handle along the arcuate guide.

3. A wrench as in claim 1, wherein the gripping head and the handle are formed integrally.

4. A wrench as in claim 1, wherein the gripping head includes two plates spaced apart by the thickness of the arcuate guide, and when operatively assembled being dis posed at the opposite faces of said guide, the gripping head including also three pins interconnecting and spacing apart the plates, said plates being arranged triangularly, with one pin, at the apex of the triangle, in contact with the concave edge of the arcuate guide,'and the other two pins, defining the base of the triangle, in contact with the convex edge of the arcuate guide, and the three pins in cooperation with the arcuate guide constituting a guide for the gripping head.

5. A wrench as in claim 1, wherein the gripping head V and the handle are separate, and means interengageable therebetween for transmitting torque from the handle to the gripping head, and thence to the arcuate guide, in the general plane of the latters arc.

6. A wrench as in claim 5, wherein one of the gripping head or the handle is formed with a non-circular lug, and the other is formed with a complemental socket fitting said lug.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 513,619 Pedersen Ian. 30, 1894 987,880 Horstman Mar. 28, 1911 1,410,032 Palmer Mar. 21, 1922 2,156,285 Harris May 2, 1939 2,426,763 Curtis Sept. 2, 1947 2,605,665 Grenat Aug. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 758,321 France Nov. 3, 1933 

